Rhemalogy

In the annals of hymn writing, Isaac Watts shines as a leading luminary. In most Reformation countries, hymns were employed in worship but seldom in the English church before Watts was born. Anglicans sang the Psalms. Psalm singing, which had at first been a welcome innovation, become a dreary, unmelodious chanting. Each line was first read out by a clerk and then sung. Through Isaac Watts’ influence, that changed.

Watts was born in Southampton, England on this day July 17, 1674. He fell under conviction in 1688 and learned to trust Christ in a personal way a year later. No doubt his father’s influence was felt here, for his father was twice imprisoned for refusing to bend to the Church of England beliefs. Later Isaac refused to take an all-expenses-paid education rather than conform himself to the Church of England. After attaining his education under more difficult circumstances, Watts became a preacher. He gave his first sermon on this day, his birthday, July 17, 1698, at Mark Lane in London. His qualities were such that the church soon named him its assistant pastor. Shortly afterward he became seriously ill and suffered such poor health for the remainder of his life that he was often unable to carry out his church duties.

A kindly friend, Sir Thomas Abney took him under his roof and there he lived thirty years. The church also showed much wisdom and charity in continuing to support him despite his fevers and neuralgia. A lady who fell in love with him from reading his hymns is said to have rejected him close up upon finding him small and far from handsome.

Accessed christianity.com 16 July 2022.

ALSO ON THIS DAY

1799 – Samuel Medley, an English Baptist preacher–died. Converted after reading a sermon by Isaac Watts, Medley pastored two different Baptist churches in Liverpool between 1767-99. “O Could I Speak the Matchless Worth,” one of his hymns, will be sung for centuries.

1831 – Baptism of Indian convert Radhu Das, having abandoned his high caste, his idolatry, and his self-righteous acts. He became an educator and then a merchant, respected for his integrity and his passion to win souls.

1853 – Confirmation of sixteen-year-old Frances Havergal in Worcester Cathedral. She became a notable hymn writer and author of “Take My Life and Let it Be” among many others.

1950 – Evangeline Cory Booth, Salvation Army general; died. The daughter of founder William Booth, Evangeline had supervised the field operations of the Army in Great Britain, Canada, and Alaska. In 1904 she had been promoted to head the American branch of the denomination. Among her contributions was the authorship of many popular Salvation Army hymns.

Accessed ChristianHistoryInstitute.org 16 July 2022.